Rugby World Cup: Elsom stint holds lasting impression on Ireland

The Irish are likely to enter Saturday's big Rugby World Cup clash with Australia privately relieved that Rocky Elsom is no longer the Wallabies captain.

Ireland defence coach Les Kiss reveals in a new book on Elsom how he was deeply concerned about the mythical status the Australian flanker had taken on for his incredible exploits with provincial side Leinster.

Kiss says the Irish feared the inspirational qualities Elsom could display as Test skipper after the Australian had spearheaded Leinster's stunning charge to the 2008-09 Heineken Cup, Europe's most prestigious club trophy.

"I said, oh, strewth," Kiss tells Australian rugby journalist Bret Harris in his book Rocky Elsom: Leader of the Wallabies.

"Because I know how many people revered him over there (in Ireland) and knew his influence. They know he is a great player.

"I hope we don't paint this thing bigger than Quo Vadis and now we can't beat the Wallabies.

"I said we've got to manage this and not make him bigger than he is."

Elsom was man of the match in Dublin-based Leinster's 19-16 Heineken Cup final win over Leicester at Murrayfield, causing Ireland great Brian O'Driscoll to declare the Australian the best player he had played with.

In his short time there, Elsom became a cult hero with fans dressing up as boxing movie character Rocky Balboa at games.

Kiss, a former Kangaroos rugby league winger, was speaking about the Wallabies' grand slam tour of 2009, when Elsom was first named Australian captain.

On that tour, Australia drew 20-20 with Ireland at Croke Park, the scene of some of Elsom's greatest feats for Leinster.

"I think we've got through that (fear of Elsom's influence) now and I'm glad it was done (in 2009) and not (2010)," Kiss adds.

Elsom was surprisingly replaced as Test skipper by James Horwill three weeks before the World Cup kick-off, but will go up against O'Driscoll in the pivotal Pool C clash at Auckland's Eden Park.

Hooker Rory Best said the Irish were bracing for a fired up Elsom - with or without the captaincy.

"Being from Munster when he was at Leinster we obviously had a few bad experiences with him," Best said on Friday.

"The captaincy, that was something internal; you can read into it whatever you want but the bottom line is he's on the team sheet for tomorrow night, he's a quality player and we're going to have to watch him.

"He's a very, very strong ball carrier. He's very aggressive in defence.

"Okay, we maybe know a little bit more individually about him in terms of little idiosyncrasies.

"But, at the end of the day, he's a world-class player with or without the captaincy.

"He looks like he's back to the form that he showed when he brought Leinster to the Heineken Cup final."

- AAP